Dark Nebula
Deep Space - Subplanar These reaches of space are a hollow grey from the light given off by Quintesson, Lygia, and the Orion Nebula. It is a wide expanse of emptiness, completely devoid of character or feature. Quiet desperation is the overwhelming feeling here, as somehow a hollow grey is less comforting than a pitch black. Or at least it seems that way now... Contents: Sixshot Grimlock Rodimus Prime Motormaster Graviton Pulse Emission Station Space-Going B-1R Lancer Mysterious Nebula Obvious exits: Above Plane leads to Quintessa System. Driftward leads to Orion Nebula. Coreward leads to Deep Space - Subplanar. Spinward leads to Deep Space - Subplanar. Rimward leads to Lygian System. This section of space has been quiet since the destuction of Quintessa and the fleeing of it's former inhabitants, but space is no longer silent. Bursts of radio static and flares of photon fill the sector, all emanating from a particularly churning violet nebula. A rod-shapred station seems to be studying this boisterious stellar cloud, probing it's depths with a bright blue beam of focused graviton particles. The massive frame of Sixshot shifts and expands, wings extending out, becoming a sleek starfighter. Sit-Com has arrived. Motormaster stands back from the shuttle airlock as the boarding tube's plasma cutters bore through the station's hull, drumming his fingers on the doorway impatiently. Those Decepticons who are not spacers, mainly gumbies, fidget and jostle behind him, weapons clacking as they prepare themselves for the invasion! The side hatch of a medium-sized Decepticon warship irises open, depositing Fusillade in near space as it approaches the station. With a brief flare of her boosters, she shoves off, slipping into escort position. <> Sixshot soars through the twinkling blackness. He slows his progress upon sighting the station. << Hey, I'm picking up some friendlies out there. If any of you are in range, I'm taking it upon myself to investigate. >> he says on open airspace. <> Fusillade's clarion alto replies very quickly to the one-mech army. << Affirmative. Altering course accordingly. >> Sixshot replies. No, the Autobots haven't become clairvoyant when it comes to Decepticon activities. But they -do- have Blaster listening in on the radio waves almost twenty-four seven. Soundwave can't be everywhere at once, right? Still, Rodimus wasn't sure just -what- was going on out here, or specifically where. Just that there was a strong liklihood of the Decepticons being up to something. "All this flaring photon space junk is playing havoc with the sensors, but I'm -sure- I picked up something from thisaway," Rodimus makes a few adjustments to the console, with his hands on the flight wheel of the shuttle that currently carries those that he could scrape up on short notice. And yes, horror of horrors. RODIMUS IS PILOTING. As the ponderous Decepticon space transport drops out of FTL travel in this sector of space, a small red ship is deployed, cutting away from the main ship and making it's own approach towards the spindly space needle, alongside the larger form of Fusillade's space bomber mode. <> Redshift replies back, lining up to begin his attack run on the hapless space station. The horror! Sit-Com is in a seat in the shuttle, listening to his wrist-TV. To his consternation, the very space junk that Rodimus is complaining about seems to be giving his wrist-TV a little bit of static. "There's some bad vibes out there," he says, "Do not attempt to control your set. We control the horizontal. We control the vertical. We are the Bored. You will be disinterested. Resistance is futile!" Fusillade says, "Redshift, Motormaster is already working on boarding the station. Join him to locate and retrieve your prize. Sixshot and I will remain out here to intercept any responders; one of us may join you if you need reinforcements." Grimlock is in the co-pilot's seat, arms crossed. "Hnn. How come me Grimlock no get fly?" he asks, and pokes the console. "Me Grimlock coulda flyed spaceship in MUCH faster! That space junk no that big!" ...that's probably why. Oblivious to any more arrivals, Redshift continues towards the station, the imposing violet nebular reflecting off his sleek lines. <> He muses amongst the radio static. But, enough time wasted.<> Redshift's engines flare to life, and the sleek red attack craft quickly closes the remaining distance towards the station, firing one of his blinding explosive missiles to crack a new door into the seemingly defenseless station! Sixshot moves in a close position to the station. <> he says, banking for better visability. <> He followws this transmission by turning about, and his twin cannons glow red with a charge-up. <> the bomber directs toward Sixshot. <> Fusillade lets fly, the purple blasts leaving carbon score marks along the station panels closest to her. With a clang a circular section of the station's hull falls in, Motormaster shouldering his way down the boarding tube followed by several non-transforming troops waving belaying vibrohooks and naval shotcannons. The interior of the station is moodily lit, full of greens and blues in the Quintesson fashion, and a metallic clanking and rustling sound can be heard echoing through the corridors. "Fan out!" Motormaster commands, pointing imperiously. "Report back as soon as you find anything of value! If you are attacked by something you can kill, be brave! If it can kill you, lead it back to me; I am brave enough for all of you together! Now, move out!" Clattering their manipulator clamps, Quintesson scavenger-creatures watch the Decepticons with eager twitches of their antennules. Saw blades rev and drills spin as they start to close in, stalking the invaders! Rodimus Prime gives Grimlock a curt reply, "Because -I- hardly ever get to fly anymore either. Call it flexing my rights as Autobot leader or something." He hasn't exactly got the best reputation when it comes to piloting shuttles, and as a result the other Autobots are often quick to leap in and offer to fly -for- him instead. Which irks Rodimus all the more because all those crashes were TOTALLY NOT HIS FAULT. His ship was always getting shot up, or boarded or sabotaged or...you get the idea. "Visual coming up now." He flicks a few switches and the viewscreen shows the station hanging in space, along with the telltale flashes of weaponsfire as the Decepticons start making their way aboard. "Jackpot. I don't know what they're here for, but it's never anything good. Let's get ready to crash their party!" Pushing the accelerator stick forward, the Autobot shuttle's engines flare up as bright blue novas as they push the craft straight at the station and the Decepticons within and without it! "I expect we're going to start taking heat anytime so get ready for it!" ~Believe it or not I'm walking on air~ ~I never thought it would feel so free~Flying away on a wing and a prayer~ Sit-Com sits up and prepares to catapult himself out of the seat and towards the hatch. "Roger dodger, Rodimus Prime," he says, "We'll paint their wagon, fix their party, and get their little dog, too." "Me Grimlock always ready!" he says- and as Rodimus guns the engines, Grimlock stands up, moving over towards the airlock- he doesn't even wait for the thing to stop moving before he opens it up and launches himself into space! Little thrusters on his back activate, and the giant dinobot lumbers through space towards the station- on the opposite side the 'cons are boarding! The station shudders as Redshift's missile crack a hole, venting off the station's atmosphere. Redshift flies through the outgassing plume, transforming into his robot mode to arrive inside the station amidst scrambling Quintesson scientists. He draws his weapon, brandishing it fiercely. "Where is your main computer! Where is it?!" He snaps, firing his rifle at the nearest big-headed space squid to show he means business. Elsewhere, the station's inhabitants are scrambling to avoid the uninvited boarders, and in thier attempts to flee they more often than not end up facing a whole other intruder. None seem to be armed, and mostly seem interested in getting to safety. As he comes around the other side of the station, Sixshot spots Grimlock's entry, and the beginning of another form's exit. "Junkion." he mutters, dropping down below the Autobot ship, and pulling up his HUD. The sight bounces around a bit, and finally locks on. <> he says into the local radiospace. Combat: Twin-Gunned Starfighter misses Sit-Com with his Trash talking the trash! attack! -4 Fusillade says, "Visual confirmation of a Dinobot. Hope Grimlock doesn't have any others with him! Going in to poke the petro-bear." Redshift says, "Throw him into space! Maybe the nebula will eat him." Fusillade says, "He's already in space! And moving with a decent amount of control. If slow." "Say again!" Motormaster bellows into his radio as he slams a Lobstrositron through a bulkhead with his left hand, mowing down a score of them with the atom-smasher cannon mounted onto the other. "The station is being boarded from the opposite side, sir!" the shuttle crew re-transmits, gunners scurrying to man the turbolaser ball turrets and cyclic blaster waist-guns. "There are Autobots entering the station!" "Retract the boarding tube and lock down the shuttle IMMEDIATELY," Motormaster sends back, prodding the bodies of the technorganic scavenger-things with the barrel of his gun. "The Aerospace unit will bracket the station while I go up the middle. We will catch these opportunistic vultures..." Motormaster picks up a Lobstrositron's scything energo-claw and considers it dryly. "...in a deadly PINCER." YEEEEAAAAAAAH Although no effect could be expected in the abscence of air, Fusillade fans out her ailerons in surprise when she sees the silvery-grey bulk of Grimlock tumbling around in space. <> She harries the Dinobot commander, sending searing disruptor bolts at him, before flashing away to begin strafing the station along its length, moving toward the end closest to the nebula. Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer sets her defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer strikes Grimlock with her Nose-Mounted Laser (Laser) attack! Fusillade says, "Have those of you that boarded seen any obvious weapons or power systems yet?" Redshift says, "Almost the whole station is one big energy projector!" Motormaster says, "Nothing... APPARENT on this end yet. Minor casualties thanks to these technorganic crawlers, but nothing a PROPER Decepticon would have any trouble with!" Geo says, "Be wary. If the station is one big energy projector, chances are high that it can be focused through innocuous areas such as light fixtures or computer ports for assaults." "Ow!" Grimlock's struck by the laser blast- but he's not nearly fast enough to fire a reply at the speeding bomber! Thankfully, it's hardly anything to slow the big bruiser of a dinobot down. And so, he just *CLANGS!* into the side of the space station- and with a few strokes of his Energo Sword, he carves himself a way in! "Hnnn." Grimlock mutters, "Me Grimlock just need find septi-cons..." he mutters, and tromps off through the darkened, labyrinthine corridors of the space station... And he immediately gets lost. Oops. "Here I come to save the daaaaaaay!" Sit-Com calls out. Suddenly a shot just misses him and he turns in surprise. "Stupid campers," he complains, "Stop spawning right where I just spawned!" He lifts up his sonic rifle and aims it at Sixshot. Combat: Sit-Com misses Twin-Gunned Starfighter with his Turn Down That Racket! attack! Fusillade says, "So... like... the tip of the station?" Rodimus Prime wrestles with the shuttle's controls as it draws closer and closer to the station. For a moment, he fears that he might have misjudged his approach, but what could have been a crash is turned into a heavy crunch as the shuttle's side rumbles up alongside of the station. Sparks appear only to wink out of existence in the vacuum of space as the craft finally comes to a halt. Not gentle, but not a disaster either! "You see that!?" Rodimus calls out to the other Autobot crew members. "That wasn't a crash! See!?" Motormaster has left. Motormaster has arrived. The sqaubbling, gibbering scientists gape at thier fallen comrade (now with a burnt hole in his ponderous cranium), and wave thier tentacles in the opposite direction of thier frantic fleeing from Redshift. "Get to the escape pods! They have already destabilized the graviton flow!" The Quintesson blubbers. Redshift makes his way to a nondescript computer, and begins tapping on it's keys. GRAVITON PULSE EMISSION STATION MAIN CONTROL Accessing... Accessing... Incorrect Password, Retry Y/N? Incorrect Password, Retry Y/N? "Hrm, this can't be good. Maybe you just need some more CONVINCING!" He snaps, and gives the machine a kick kick to the curcuits. Incorrect Passmzdf',';zdmgnml'ml'ml;gnmlfnmljopsd GRAVITON PULSE DESTABILIZED GRAVITON PULSE DESTABILIZED GRAVITON PULSE DESTABILIZED Redshift says, "Uhh..." Redshift says, "I think I broke it." Fusillade says, "There's some weird glowing in this section of space. Have you found anything PORTABLE yet, Redshift?" Repugnus has arrived. Resetting Repugnus. Combat: Sit-Com runs a diagnostic check on Bug Creature Motormaster suddenly fills the doorway into the room where Redshift is performing percussive maintenance, grabbing a Quintesson as if palming a basketball. "What is that machine trying to warn us of? TELL ME," he demands of the squirming alien, scowling past it at Redshift. Redshift says, "I found a computer that is being cONTRARY, if that counts." Redshift says, "Says, um, the gravity pulse is destabilized. and I think that is bad." "Ha, you get what you pay for. Now I'm going to put you back where you came from!" Sixshot says, flying past Sit-Com and banking. Then, letting his momentum carry him close, he transforms, now in another mode and flying straight for Sit-Com! The form of Sixshot bends forward, folds under and turrets flip out, blasters fold forward, and he sits before you in his tank form. Combat: Armored Ram Tank strikes Sit-Com with his WHO WANTS SPACE TANKS WE WANT SPACE TANKS attack! -3 Motormaster says, "But what does that MEAN?" Fusillade, dissatisfied, "I'm coming in there." Redshift says, "do I LOOK like I know? I'm just reading the screen!" Fusillade says, "Can't see you. I'll be there in a moment." Motormaster says, "Yes, Fusillade, perhaps you can use your engineering skills to evaluate the Quintesson computer and find out whether we need to FLEE or DESTROY." Fusillade says, "Shut yer trap! I learned star maps!" A grey and white blurr whips past Sixshot and Sit-Com, inbound to the interior of the battered station, ionized cyan particles streaming off her wing tips. Fusillade transforms to her much smaller robot mode, and clings to the ruptured station surface, spitting a few space-muffled curses to herself before storming in. She drives a hematite heel into a twitching Lobstrosoid, and soon is leaning over Redshift's shoulder. "Well glitch," she says at the enlarged warning countdown, before reverse tracking back down the corridor. She jams a wingblade up into a panel, and pries it open, recoiling from the blue glare that escapes. "Looks like the entire station is full of these conduits. Looks like the same type of energy. I'll grab a couple." CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK. Bombs begin striking the floor, falling on their sides, as Fusillade begins to make room for some likely looking equipment. Sit-Com gets a flying tank right in his face! He reaches his arms to the sides, his face right up to the front, like a motorcyclist that has been front-ended by a car. "Oh no, I'm roadkill!" the Junkion exclaims. He brings out his ball-and-chain and swings it around with one hand, then attempts to plant the spiky ball right into the turret.@r~Tarzan swings, Tarzan falls, Cheetah grabs him-~ Combat: Sit-Com strikes Armored Ram Tank with his Ye Olde Ball and Chain attack! Truly a rhyme Repugnus could appreciate, yes? The sleek bomber rears up, wings collapsing onto hips even as the rear fuselage splits to form arms. The horizontal stabilizer slides up, the forward fuselage folds up accordian style, and Fusillade hops up on thrustered feet. Combat: Fusillade sets her defense level to Neutral. "--rubs upon him his balls?" Repugnus says, finishing the rhyme as he appears out of nowhere, feet slamming down onto the station. "Stress balls, that is. Like these REALLY big ones, I got." He's rolling some rather large ceramic balls around in his hand. "Yes, you could say I have big balls. You could say that. OH! You need help! Of course, I'd be delighted to help you, Sit-Com!" Chucking the stress balls over his shoulder into space, he pulls out his Venom Laser and begins peppering the Six-Changer with blasts. "Sorry, as much as I love killing I can't let you kill THAT guy!" Combat: Bug Creature misses Armored Ram Tank with his Laser attack! Motormaster's mitt clapms down on a squirming squid-like alien, a sinister species he is no doubt familiar with. "No! Let go! I must escape! witout the graviton pulse to control the anomoly, it will expand! It will tear us all limb from limb!" He squeals, fighting at Motormaster's iron-firm grip with feeble tentacles. Redshift seems quite perplexed, and gives the computer another kick for good measure. "Uh, yes. Good plan, Fusillade, let's get some of this gear before whatever bad thing the Quint thinks will happen happens to /us/." He adds, and begins prying the computer off the bulkhead. Sixshot's tank form, entirely unsuitable for the rigors of space, goes spinning oput of control with the impact of the blow from Sit-Com's flail. "OoOoOoHhHh SlLlLlAaAaAag I wish I haaadnnnt done tHaAaAaAat" he cries, transforming and attempting to right himself. The massive frame of Sixshot shifts and expands, wings extending out, becoming a sleek starfighter. Combat: Twin-Gunned Starfighter sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Twin-Gunned Starfighter takes extra time to steady himself. Pass The blinding blue beam that has been piercing the heart of the nebula begins to sputter and break apart, the thrumming sound inside the station falling off inot silence. At first, nothing happens. The nebula, however, is not content to be a mere observer of this disruption, and it's violent roiling now becomes a tempest, the violet dust swirling out, growing, the radio noise and radiation escalting to dangerous levels. Following shortly after the outbust comes dense waves of emanating gravitons, stretching the very fabric of space ands time around the violent nebula. Combat: Mysterious Nebula strikes Twin-Gunned Starfighter with its Dark Emanations Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Twin-Gunned Starfighter 's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Mysterious Nebula strikes Sit-Com with its Dark Emanations Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Sit-Com's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Mysterious Nebula strikes Bug Creature with its Dark Emanations Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Bug Creature 's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Mysterious Nebula strikes Motormaster with its Dark Emanations Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Motormaster's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Mysterious Nebula strikes Fusillade with its Dark Emanations Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Fusillade's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Mysterious Nebula strikes Red Spacecraft with its Dark Emanations Area attack! Combat: You took 0 damage. Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Red Spacecraft 's Accuracy. (Blinded) "Are you saying that the source of the danger is outside? In the nebula?" Motormaster demands, shaking the Quintesson as strange radiations warp the station's interior! "How far away must we be from the nebula for safety, and WHEN? Answer carefully- you will leave here with us, or NOT at ALL!" "Ooof, I'm takin' six of everything I can find," Fusillade grunts out, snapping her chest compartment closed. She turns to look down the hallway where Redshift is, and catches sight of the destabilizing nebula. "Awww, @)(*&$^ -- GAH!" The light cripples, driving her to her knees as she staggers about, arm raised to futilely shield her optics. "That's... only going to get worse..." She backs into a bulkhead, cracking her helm audibly before staggering for the hull breach. "Decepticons! RETREAT!" Fusillade says, "I've flown by unstable holes like that before. It's only going to get worse. Decepticons, RETREAT!" Sixshot says, "Ssssounds gooood to me!" "Thanks for the assist, puggy," Sit-Com says. He is about to give Sixshot what for when the nebula blast envelops him. "No no no no no! It is not time for the Outer Limits!" His vision is blurred, but he can make out the way back to the shuttle. "Time to book, or we'll get the worst sunburn in our lives! And it won't be no Coppertone tan!" Combat: Sit-Com takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Bug Creature grunts in annoyance at the brilliant flash of light. "Rrrgh, yeah whatever. So what the hell were they doing to that thing? Trying to form a star or something? Or did they just hit the wrong button?" He ambles blindly towards where he thinks the shuttle might be. Motormaster says, "Loot what you can!" Fusillade says, "I'm stuffed full of cylinders already!" Sixshot says, "I'll hold them off on this side so we can make an exit. But hurry it up - two on one over here, three on one with the nebula." "No, no, no!" The captive Quintesson scientist squeals. "We were PREVENTING the anomoly from endangering this region of space! Now look what you've done! You've ruined EVERYTHING!" Redshift clutches at the bulkhead as the station rattles around him, trying to keep on his feet as the floor seems to bend beneath his feet like melting wax. He clutches the computer and it's control curcuits, and makes haste for the hole he blew in the spindly station. The corridors seem to shift and twist around him, making a prompt exit easier said than done. "Very well, then- that makes you the most qualified to FIX it!" Motormaster bowls the Quintesson back into the room and tromps after Redshift, shouting into his radio for the shuttlecraft to come around and prepare to take on passengers and any loot the gumbies might've found. Sixshot finally gets his stability back, and banks again tightly. "Alright, now we've got garbage and the pests that infest it. I think some extermination is in order." he says snidely, as he levels his twin concussion cannons at the pair near the ship. Combat: Twin-Gunned Starfighter sets his defense level to Neutral. Fusillade clutches her midriff queasily as reality warps around her, but manages to break free of the station, and transforms. With engines groaning, she makes haste away from the nebula, barking at Sixshot to <> Combat: Twin-Gunned Starfighter misses Sit-Com with his Full-Auto Area attack! Combat: Twin-Gunned Starfighter strikes Bug Creature with his Full-Auto Area attack! "Close but no cigar," Sit-Com says, as he dodges the attack from Sixshot. "If you want to become part of the wallpaper, fine with me. In fact let me pick the pattern. How about laser-colored? Goes well with No Wine before its time." Sit-Com is a firin' his lazor! Combat: Sit-Com misses Twin-Gunned Starfighter with his Laser attack! Bug Creature takes a hit but keeps running for the spaceship. "Whatever, you wanna die out here, Decepticon, be my guest. I go things to do." And so, sizzling a little, he hoofs it. Combat: Bug Creature takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Motormaster bangs off of a wall dizzily and catches himself against the opposite bulkhead as he turns the corner, folllowing the nimbler Aerospacers to the hole in the station's hull. As the gumbytroops jog pass him he picks up each one and hurls him out into space towards the shuttle's open cargo bay before finally leaping out himself just before an explosion billows and dissipates into vacuum from the gash in the hull behind him! Combat: Motormaster begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Twin-Gunned Starfighter , Red Spacecraft , and Fusillade Sixshot, seeing the other Decepticons finally exiting the station and the Autobots no longer taking the initiative, not to mention the increasingly dangerous environment, rockets in the "away from death" direction! Combat: Twin-Gunned Starfighter begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit. Even once ejected into space, the gravitational distortions are still detrimental to Redshift's escape. His zero-G thrusters keep him from falling into the tempestuous violet storm below, however, and carry Redshift to the waiting Decepticon ship. "Get this tub moving! If we stay here any longer we'll be sucked in!" Combat: Fusillade begins retreating, leaving herself vulnerable to parting shots from Twin-Gunned Starfighter and Red Spacecraft "I owe, I owe, it's off to work I go," Sit-Com singsongs, "Don't you worry never fear. Robin Hood will soon be here!" He makes for the shuttle, barely able to see the hatch, but once he gets in, he gets to the controls and starts it up, preparing to blast off the minute Repugnus boards. Combat: Sit-Com begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Motormaster, Twin-Gunned Starfighter , Red Spacecraft , and Fusillade The creature spins and twists about into Repugnus's robot mode! Repugnus is already onboard! "Yeah, let's just get out of here before the universe ends. Sheesh, and people are so surprised I exterminate them with such prejudice!" The Decepticon cruiser begins making a retreat, it's engines straining against the unstable gravity field of the growing anomoly. The anomoly is still going through a violent growth spurt, but not yet strong enough to prevent the escape of the Tranasformer vessels.